1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for analyzing images to identify an object that may strike a vehicle. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to analyzing images from a camera on an aircraft to identify a bird strike on the aircraft.
2. Background
Modern commercial and other aircraft are designed to withstand bird strikes without affecting the safe operation of the aircraft. Furthermore, such aircraft may have instruments for detecting and reporting inconsistencies at any location on the aircraft that could possibly affect the safety of flight. Potential inconsistencies that may be caused by bird strikes, but that may not be detected by such instruments, may be limited to effects on the appearance or aerodynamic performance of the aircraft. Therefore, bird strikes are generally not a safety issue for such aircraft.
Although a bird strike may not affect aircraft safety, aircraft operator or regulatory rules, based on an abundance of caution, may call for diversion or turn back if a bird strike on the aircraft is suspected to have occurred. As a result, bird strikes, and suspected bird strikes, may be the cause of significant costs for airlines and other aircraft operators.
Bird strikes may be a safety issue for non-commercial or other manned aircraft and for unmanned air vehicles. For example, unmanned air vehicles and other relatively small aircraft may have less capacity to carry the systems and structures that make larger commercial aircraft robust against bird strikes.
Bird strikes may be a significant issue for some manned and unmanned military or other aircraft with stealth capabilities. A bird strike on such an aircraft may cause inconsistencies in the coatings or other features that make the aircraft stealthy.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have a method and apparatus that takes into account one or more of the issues discussed above as well as possibly other issues.